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Beginning Feb. 1, The Texas Center for Neuroscience is hosting its first annual Neuroscience Essay Contest open to junior and senior high school students of Southeast Texas. It is their hope to discover exceptional students that not only know their science, but can also effectively communicate it to the scientific community as well as to the general public. The contest was initiated between a collaboration of judge of Neuroscience Essay Contest Dr. Remi Nader’s nurse practitioner Siobain Rogers and her daughter junior Zoee Rogers. They have both taken the initiative of trying to find something creative that can connect the world of neurosurgery with high schools.

There is one grand prize winner. There are other prizes that will be given, about three to five prizes depending on participation and quality of the work. The grand prize is a $250 scholarship to college of student’s choice, a summer neurosurgery internship at Texas Center for Neurosciences, a celebration dinner with Dr. Nader and staff, a Winner’s Plaque, and an opportunity to observe a live neurosurgery. The second prize is a $150 scholarship to the college of student’s choice. Finally, the third prize is a $100 scholarship to college of student’s choice. Dr. Nader’s medical practice, the Texas Center for Neurosciences will be funding the contest. Each finalist will also receive a Texas Center for Neurosciences t-shirt.

“This contest will benefit students who are enrolling and are interested in the healthcare field, be it research, medical school, physical therapy school, nursing school or other related medical and para-medical professions,” Dr. Nader said. “It will increase their awareness within that field and expand their fund of knowledge. It is also a nice project to add on the resume.”

All entries must be received by March 15 and finalists will be announced via the Texas Center for Neurosciences Facebook page on April 2, 2017. Original articles may be submitted on any subject that exists within the key topics featured on the Texas Center for Neuroscience Facebook page. Topics will be assigned on a first come first serve basis and there are only 50 topics to choose from so only 50 students will be participants. Finalist will then be chosen by Dr. Nader and his staff, with the top three essays posted to the Texas Center for Neuroscience Facebook page.

“I anticipate there being some difficulty in choosing a winner as this is an essay contest and oftentimes essays are judged subjectively with regards to content quality, depth and breath of the information provided,” Dr. Nader said. “Nevertheless the submissions should be easier to judge than a typical English literary essay as they will be based on scientific fact and research. Having authored eight major textbooks in Neurosurgery myself I do not foresee any significant difficulty in being able to review the submissions. The difficulty that I can foresee is the possibility of having several high-quality submissions , with regards to choosing which one would be the winner.”

If you are interested in this contest, there are some preparations you could make before Feb. 11. First, you can talk to your counselor and choose your topic. Secondly, you can start planning and researching your topic and make sure you are writing about what you know and are passionate about. Lastly, be sure and research your topic well. References will be submitted with your essay. For the contest rules and submission instructions, students may go online to Texas Center for Neuroscience Facebook page.

“There is often a disconnect between doctors and the general public,” Dr. Nader said. “I hope that by bringing this contest to high schools we can bridge the gap starting from a young age. Both in terms of high school students understanding the medical world and in terms of us medical providers understanding how teenagers and young adults view our world.”

This competition is not just an opportunity to have your work published and win some money, but students will also have an opportunity to have your essay reviewed by some of the most respected writers in the science community, and also for the grand prize winner, it is an opportunity to add a science writing internship to your resume.

“What I am looking forward to, primarily, is to discover a different spin on existing ideas and scientific concepts as viewed by young non-medical professional students, when it relates to common and less common conditions of the neurological system,” Dr. Nader said.